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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Phenotypic characterisation of cell populations in the brain...
Equine veterinary journal2017; 49(6); 815-820; doi: 10.1111/evj.12697

Phenotypic characterisation of cell populations in the brains of horses experimentally infected with West Nile virus.

Abstract: West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito borne member of the Flaviviridae, is one of the most commonly diagnosed agents of viral encephalitis in horses and people worldwide. Objective: A cassette of markers for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and an archive of tissues from experimental infections in the horse were used to investigate the equine neuroimmune response to WNV meningoencephalomyelitis to phenotype the early response to WNV infection in the horse. Methods: Quantitative analysis using archived tissue from experimentally infected horses. Methods: The thalamus and hindbrain from 2 groups of 6 horses were compared and consisted of a culture positive tissues from WNV experimentally horses, in the other, normal horses. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue from the thalamus and hindbrain were immunolabeled for microglia, astrocytes, B cells, macrophages/neutrophils, CD3 T cells. Fresh frozen tissues were immunolabeled for CD4 and CD8 T lymphocyte cell markers. Cell counts were obtained using a computer software program. Differences, after meeting assumptions of abnormality, were computed using a general linear model with a Tukey test (P<0.05) for pairwise comparisons. Results: In WNV-challenged horses, Iba-1 microglia, CD3 T lymphocyte and MAC387 macrophage staining were significantly increased. The T cell response for the WNV-challenged horses was mixed, composed of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes. A limited astrocyte response was also observed in WNV-challenged horses, and MAC387 and B cells were the least abundant cell populations. Conclusions: The results of this study were limited by a single collection time post-infection. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of cellular phenotypes is needed for naturally infected horses. Unfortunately, in clinical horses, there is high variability of sampling in terms of days post-infection and tissue handling. Conclusions: The data show that WNV-challenged horses recruit a mixed T cell population at the onset of neurologic disease.
© 2017 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2017-06-05 PubMed ID: 28470955DOI: 10.1111/evj.12697Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article investigates the early immune response in horses infected experimentally with the West Nile Virus (WNV). The study uses different cellular markers to identify and quantify specific types of immune cells in the brain tissue of horses post-infection, revealing a significant increase in certain immune cell populations.

Objective and Methods

  • The main aim of this research was to examine the early immune response to WNV in horses using a series of markers on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue obtained from experimentally infected horses.
  • The researchers utilized the thalamus and hindbrain tissues from two groups of six horses – one group had been experimentally infected with WNV, and the other comprised healthy horses.
  • The selected tissues were immunolabeled for various types of immune cells, such as microglia, astrocytes, B cells, macrophages/neutrophils, and T cells with CD3, CD4, and CD8 markers.
  • The team counted these labeled cells with computational software and calculated differences between the groups using a general linear model and a Tukey test to make pairwise comparisons.

Results

  • The findings showed a significant increase in the number of Iba-1 labeled microglial cells, CD3 T cells, and MAC387 macrophages in horses infected with WNV as compared to healthy horses.
  • The cellular response in WNV-infected horses involved both CD4 and CD8 T-cell populations.
  • The astrocyte response was limited in WNV-infected horses, and the least abundant immune cells were MAC387 and B cells.

Conclusions

  • Despite the insightful findings, the study did have some limitations. Notably, the robustness of the conclusions might be limited because the data was collected at a single time post-infection.
  • There is a necessity for a more extensive analysis of cellular phenotypes in naturally infected horses. However, sampling in clinical settings represents a challenge due to high variability in terms of days post-infection and tissue handling.
  • Despite these limitations, the data revealed that WNV-infected horses are able to recruit a diverse T cell population at the onset of neurological diseases.

Cite This Article

APA
Delcambre GH, Liu J, Streit WJ, Shaw GPJ, Vallario K, Herrington J, Wenzlow N, Barr KL, Long MT. (2017). Phenotypic characterisation of cell populations in the brains of horses experimentally infected with West Nile virus. Equine Vet J, 49(6), 815-820. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12697

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 49
Issue: 6
Pages: 815-820

Researcher Affiliations

Delcambre, G H
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Liu, J
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Streit, W J
  • Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Shaw, G P J
  • Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Vallario, K
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Herrington, J
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Wenzlow, N
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Barr, K L
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Long, M T
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Astrocytes
  • B-Lymphocytes
  • Brain / cytology
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain / virology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Macrophages
  • Microglia
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • West Nile Fever / pathology
  • West Nile Fever / veterinary
  • West Nile Fever / virology
  • West Nile virus / physiology

Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Boos GS, Failing K, Colodel EM, Driemeier D, de Castro MB, Bassuino DM, Diomedes Barbosa J, Herden C. Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Ionized Calcium-Binding Adapter Molecule 1 Immunostaining Score for the Central Nervous System of Horses With Non-suppurative Encephalitis and Encephalopathies. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:660022.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.660022pubmed: 34307520google scholar: lookup
  2. Martínez IZ, Pérez-Martínez C, Salinas LM, Juste RA, Marín JFG, Balseiro A. Phenotypic Characterization of Encephalitis and Immune Response in the Brains of Lambs Experimentally Infected with Spanish Goat Encephalitis Virus. Animals (Basel) 2020 Aug 7;10(8).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10081373pubmed: 32784781google scholar: lookup
  3. Byas AD, Ebel GD. Comparative Pathology of West Nile Virus in Humans and Non-Human Animals. Pathogens 2020 Jan 7;9(1).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens9010048pubmed: 31935992google scholar: lookup
  4. Calderón-Peláez MA, Velandia-Romero ML, Bastidas-Legarda LY, Beltrán EO, Camacho-Ortega SJ, Castellanos JE. Dengue Virus Infection of Blood-Brain Barrier Cells: Consequences of Severe Disease. Front Microbiol 2019;10:1435.
    doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01435pubmed: 31293558google scholar: lookup
  5. Bruno L, Nappo MA, Frontoso R, Perrotta MG, Di Lecce R, Guarnieri C, Ferrari L, Corradi A. West Nile Virus (WNV): One-Health and Eco-Health Global Risks. Vet Sci 2025 Mar 19;12(3).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci12030288pubmed: 40266979google scholar: lookup
  6. Naveed A, Eertink LG, Wang D, Li F. Lessons Learned from West Nile Virus Infection:Vaccinations in Equines and Their Implications for One Health Approaches. Viruses 2024 May 14;16(5).
    doi: 10.3390/v16050781pubmed: 38793662google scholar: lookup
  7. Schwarz ER, Long MT. Comparison of West Nile Virus Disease in Humans and Horses: Exploiting Similarities for Enhancing Syndromic Surveillance. Viruses 2023 May 24;15(6).
    doi: 10.3390/v15061230pubmed: 37376530google scholar: lookup
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